Method and apparatus of tufting pile fabric



1963 H. w. BALLARD 3,091,199

METHOD AND APPARATUS OF TUFTING PILE FABRIC Filed Feb. 9, 1959 2Sheets-Sheet 1 y 1963 H. w. BALLARD METHOD AND APPARATUS OF TUFTING PILEFABRIC 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 9, 1959 w M A \N\\\U C United StatesPatent i 3,091,199 METHOD AND APPARATUS (BF TUFTING PllLE FABRIC Hyde W.Billiard, West Chester, Pa., assignor to James Lees and Sons Company,Bridgeport, Pin, a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Feb. 9, 1959, Ser.No. 792,019 4 Claims. (Cl. 11279) This invention relates to themanufacture of pile fabrics and more particularly to an improvedapparatus for producing a tufted pile fabric having novel patterneffects.

The limitations of the multiple needle tufting machine for theproduction of pile floor coverings are generally well known in the art.Heretofore it has been impossible to duplicate on a tufting machine allof the pattern effects which have currently received popular acceptancein woven fabrics. The popularity of texture, which may be defined as anoverall uneven pile surface, and also carved and sculptured effects areof considerable importance in the manufacture and sale of such fabrics.The present invention is directed to a modification of the conventionaltufting machine which enables controlled variations in the pile densityto be accomplished.

A primary object of the invention, therefore, is to provide apparatusfor regulating the feed of the backing fabric in a broad tufting machineto provide pile density variations in accordance with a predeterminedpattern.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pattern control driveconnection for the feed and take-up pin rolls for the backing fabric ina tufting machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide in combination with avariable control drive for the backing fabric, a pile feeding apparatuswhich enhances the pattern effect.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a multiple needletufting machine a variable drive for the backing fabric and two separateneedle bars which insert pile at difierent spaced positions.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method for tufting apile fabric which includes the combination of controlling the backingfabric and also the pile height in certain areas in accordance with thepattern.

Further objects will be apparent from the specification and drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a schematic transverse section through a multiple needletufting machine constructed in accordance with one form of the presentinvention,

FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic longitudinal section of the fabricproduced with the tufting machine of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a fabric similar to FIG. 2 but withonly one pile yarn end per needle,

FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view of a staggered needle tuftingmachine using the apparatus of the present invention,

FIG. 5 is a schematic top view of the fabric produced on the tuftingmachine of FIG. 4, and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation of a needle to be employedin the present invention illustrating the insertion of two yarn endsthrough the eye of a single needle.

The invention comprises essentially the provision of a patterncontrolled variable drive and take-up for the backing fabric of atufting machine. The result of the relatively higher feed provided withsuch a device is to reduce the longitudinal density of the pileprojections. Where the backing feed is slower, then, of course, thelongitudinal density of the projections is increased. Where this densityis varied in accordance with a pre-determined pattern, the evenness ofthe face appearance of the fabric can be broken up, thus creatingdesirable texture effects. When the device is utilized in conjunctionwith a tufting 7 Bfidldhh Patented May 2%, 1963 machine carrying twoends per needle and a pattern attachment which controls the height ofthe various ends, additional novel effects are provided and the furtherbreaking up or texturing of the pile projections may be enhanced byproviding a staggered needle machine which comprises two rows of tuftingneedles which are longitudinally out of line with each other.

A conventional multiple needle tufting machine comprises a bed or throat15 over which the backing cloth or fabric F is fed from the pin feedroll 16 to the pin takeup roll 17. Intermediate idler roll 18 guides thefabric from throat 15 over the periphery of take-up roll 17. Sufficientperipheral contact between the fabric F and rolls 16 and 17 is providedby idler rolls or bars 19 and 20. A series of needles 21 are mounted ina verticaliy oscillating needle bar 22, journaled in housing 23, andcontrolled by a crankshaft 24 having connecting rods 25. The usualpresser foot 26 retains the backing fabric on the throat 15. The pileyarn is fed from a supply such as a creel or beam, not shown, throughfeeding devices such as rotating heaters 27 and 28. The yarns are thencefed through guides 29 and over pairs of feed rollers 3t 31, and 32, 33.The speed of the yarn feeding mechanism can be, if desired, soconstructed and arranged that the amount of feed and/ or the tension ofthe various yarn ends is varied so that different height pileprojections are produced in the fabric. In the present showing, I haveillustrated two separate series of pile yarn ends 34 and 35 which may beindependently controlled by rollers 32, 33, and 30, 31 respectively. Theyarns 34 and 35 feed through stationary guide bars 36 and 37 andoscillating thread jerker 38. One end of the pile yarn from each set 34and 35 is threaded through the eye of each needle, as shown in FIG. 6,so that there will be two pile projections in each row of stitches andprojecting through the same perforations in the backing F. Aconventional series of loopers 46 are mounted on looper bar 41 and areoscillated by the looper rock shaft 42 in accordance with conventionalpractice. Ordinarily the backing feed F is fed at a constant rate acrossthe throat or bed 15. This constant rate, however, may compriseintermittent starting and stopping in timed relation to each verticalstroke of the needle, or the feed may be generally uniform relying uponthe stretch of the fabric to take care or" fabric fed while the needles21 are penetrating the fabric. in either case, however, the resultantpile projections are of uniform density along the entire fabric. Byconnecting driving motor 45 to the feed and take-up roils 16 and 17 andcontrolling the speed of motor 45, I have found that it is possible tovary the density of t .e pile projections longitudinally on the fabricF. The motor 45 may be drivingly connected to the rolls 16 and 17 in anyconvenient manner as shown schematically at 46 and 47 in FIGURE 1. Thepattern cam 48 intermittently operates a switch 49 through cam followerSlito vary the speed control element 51 on the motor 45 throughelectrical connectors 52, 52. As will be noted from the foregoing, thepattern control means which effects the variable speed of the rolls 16and 17 includes a pattern cam 48 which, by means of carn follower 50,actuates a switch 49 to achieve either a normal constant speed of themotor 4-5 or an increase or decrease of such normal constant speed. Thusthe pattern control means includes a first control speed section,determined by the position of the pattern cam 48, which will permit thedriving of the motor 45 at its normal constant speed, and a second speedcontrol section, likewise determined by the position of the pattern cam43, which will drive the motor 45 at a different or greater constantspeed. Alternatively, the motor 45 may be replaced with one or more ofthe conventional variable speed drive devices ordinarily employed in adrive system.

3 Such a device will take the form of a variable diameter sheave orpulley.

The fabric produced with the apparatus of FIG. 1 is shown as having arelatively dense area of pile loops 55 which, in FIG. 2, are doubleloops projecting from the same interstices in the backing fabric F.These areas appear at controlled distances from relatively less denseareas 56 and 57 so that a textured appearance is provided. The densearea 55 is produced by relatively slow backing fabric feed withconsequent shorter stitches for the pile projections in the dense area.The less dense areas 56 and 57 illustrate the lengthening of thestitches and the greater spacing of the pile projections when the rateof the backing fabric feed is increased. Where the relative tension inthe ends 34 and 35 in any particular needle is varied, it is possible toalternate the height of to pile projections in each interstice in thefabric F so that different colors or different characteristics of theyarn may predominate in selected areas. Where alternate needles arethreaded with differently colored yarns, the effect shown in FIG. 3 maybe provided in which the denser and less dense areas run generallyacross the fabric. In FIG. 3 there are shown four rows 60, 61, 62, and63 of pile loop projections which are progressively formed into the lessdense areas 64 and the denser areas 65. If the color or othercharacteristics of the pile yarn in rows 60 and 62 contrasts with thepile yarns in rows 61 and 63, for example, an interesting new type ofdesign may be achieved.

The present invention also lends itself to the manufacture of novelfabrics in conjunction with a skip stitch, multiple needle tuftingmachine. Such a machine is illustrated generally in FIG. 4 and comprisesyarn ends 70 and 71 which are supplied from a source such as a creel,not shown. The yarns 70 and 71 are tension controlled through a beatersystem 72 and thence they run through a guide 73 and around feed rolls74 and 75. In accordance with conventional practice, the yarns 7t} and71 are then carried through a series of guides 76, 77, and thread jerker78 and are fed to separate rows of needles 79 and 80 respectivelymounted on needle bar 81. Otherwise the tufting machine is substantiallythe same as that shown in FIG. 1 having a pair of presser feet 82 and 83and the usual housing assembly 84. The fabric which comprises the burlapor cloth 85 is fed across the throat 86 of the tufting machine from apin feed roll 87 to a pin take-up roll 88. Guide rolls 89 and 90 controlthe travel of fabric around the periphery of take-up roll 88 whereasguide roll 91 controls the cloth fed around pin roll 87. Two sets ofsimultaneously acting loopers 92 and 93 are mounted in their individuallooper bars 94 and 95 and oscillate from the looper rockshafts 96 and97. These rockshafts may be connected by means of suitable cranks andlinkage shown generally at 98.

The variable speed control for the skip-stitch machine comprises avariable drive element or motor 190 which is drivingly connected to pinfeed roll 87 by means of shaft or connections 101. Likewise the element160 is drivingly connected to pin take-up roll 88 by means of suitabledriving connections 102. The speed of the driving element 100 iscontrolled by a cam 193 which in turn actuates a cam follower 164 toopen and close an electrical circuit through relay or switch 105. Switch105 is electrically connected to the control member 106 by means ofelectrical connectors 107, 107 in the same way that has been describedin conjunction with FIG. 1. The control element 100 may be acceleratedor decelerated in accordance with the pattern of cam 103 to regulate therelative feed of the cloth 85 with respect to the vertical oscillationof needle bar 81. In a staggered needle machine, the fabric so producedwill have alternating transverse areas of dense pile indicated at :110,110 in FIGURE and intermediate areas of less dense pile projections 111,

111. Since the groups of needles 79' and are longitudinally offset alongthe fabric, the dense and less dense areas appear to alternate back andforth from one row of stitches to another. The effect can also besubstantially enhanced by the use of difierent types or colors of yarnin each of the rows of stitches.

The present invention provides a novel fabric and means for producingthis fabric which have not heretofore been achieved, partly due to thethinking that only constant feed of the backing cloth was feasiblebecause of its penetration by the needles. However, since thispenetration is so rapid, it appears that there is ample opportunity forthe cloth to advance at any desired speed when the needles are raised,and the advancing increment during the time that the needles penetratethe cloth is insufiicient to cause any undesired results. Presumablythere is sutficient resilience or stretchability to prevent any tearingor rupture of the backing cloth.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a tufting apparatus for tufting stitches through a moving backingfabric including at least two rows of longitudinally spaced needles inlongitudinally offset relationship along the fabric, a feed roll on oneside of the needles for moving the fabric through the tufting zone, anda take-up roll on the other side of the needles for moving the tuftedfabric, the improvement for producing alternating areas of dense pileprojections and intermediate areas of less dense pile projections intransversely staggered relationship across the fabric which comprisesvariable speed driving means operatively connected to said feed roll andsaid take-up roll for varying the speed of such rolls and patterncontrol means operatively connected to said driving means, said patterncontrol means including a first speed control section and a second speedcontrol section having relatively greater speed control than said firstsection, each of said speed control sections providing uniform speed forthe fabric when either of said sections is in operation during anytufting cycle.

2. The method of tufting a pile fabric which comprises the steps offeeding a backing fabric into and through a pile forming zone,simultaneously inserting two pile yarns through the same interstice inthe backing fabric to form a single row of double pile projections,moving the fabric through the pile forming zone at a first uniform speedto produce a first series of dense pile projections and moving thefabric through the pile forming zone at a second uniform speed greaterthan said first speed to produce a second series of pile projectionsless dense than said first series.

3. The method according to claim 2 including the steps of differentiallycontrolling the tension in the pile yarns in each row to provide highand low pile projections in the same interstices of said single row.

4. The method of tufting a pile fabric in accordance with claim 3 inwhich the height of the yarns in the first series alternates from highto low.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,984,331 Boyce Dec. 11, 1934 2,090,022 Baynton et al Aug. 17, 19372,432,469 Charles Dec. 9', 1947 2,707,446 McCutchen May 3, 19552,753,183 Wiig et a1 July 3, 1956 2,782,741 Smith Feb. 26, 19572,855,879 Manning et :al. Oct. 14, 1958 2,862,465 Card Dec. 2, 19582,889,791 Fedevich June 9, 1959 2,990,792 Nowicki et al. July 4, 1961FOREIGN PATENTS 6,792 Great Britain of 1902

1. IN A TUFTING APPARATUS FOR TUFTING STITCHES THROUGH A MOVING BACKINGFABRIC INCLUDING AT LEAST TWO ROWS OF LONGITUDINALLY SPACED NEEDLES INLONGITUDINALLY OFFSET RELATIONSHIP ALONG THE FABRIC, A FEED ROLL ON ONESIDE OF THE NEEDLES FOR MOVING THE FABRIC THROUGH THE TUFTING ZONE, ANDA TAKE-UP ROLL ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE NEEDLES FOR MOVING THE TUFTEDFABRIC, THE IMPROVEMENT FOR PRODUCING ALTERNATING AREAS OF DENSE PILEPROJECTIONS AND INTERMEDIATE AREAS OF LESS DENSE PILE PROJECTIONS INTRANSVERSELY STAGGERED RELATIONSHIP ACROSS THE FABRIC WHICH COMPRISESVARIABLE SPEED DRIVING MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID FEED ROLL ANDSAID TAKE-UP ROLL FOR VARYING THE SPEED OF SUCH ROLLS AND PATTERNCONTROL MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID DRIVING MEANS, SAID PATTERNCONTROL MEANS INCLUDING A FIRST SPEED CONTROL SECTION AND A SECOND SPEEDCONTROL SECTION HAVING RELATIVELY GREATER SPEED CONTROL THAN